Natural Born Killers: Top Backcountry Dangers

Which is the bigger backcountry threat, grizzlies or flash floods? Find out what should scare you–and how to survive it–with BACKPACKER's Terror Index.

by Jason Stevenson

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(Photo by Michael Francis)

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(Photo by Mark Carroll)

118 SPIDERSDanger Extreme pain, severe muscle cramps, respiratory paralysis, and necrotic ulcers (translation: your flesh rots)Body count About six people die from bites each year, primarily from black widow or brown recluse spiders. Backpackers who are bitten often encounter the arachnids at night in their tents, though the bites–initially painless–can go undetected for hours. True, the overall number of fatalities isn’t high, but spiders get extra points for causing a very slow, feverish, gut-cramping, skin-blistering demise. Plus, they’re creepy. Best defense As with snakes, be careful when collecting firewood and climbing ledges–and when sitting down in an outhouse. Take extra precautions in the South, where half of fatal spider bites occur.

114 BEARSDanger A bloody, skull-crushing, flesh-ripping encounter with four-inch claws and dagger-like teeth–wielded by 400 pounds of muscleBody count In North America, black bears have killed 56 and grizzlies 52 since 1900 (mostly in Canada). And the pace is picking up: At least 15 of the black-bear fatalities have occurred since 2000.Best defense In most cases, simply announcing "Hey bear!" as you hike will warn bruins of your approach and prevent encounters. In camp, cook and store food according to local park rules. If attacked, fight back against a black bear and play dead with a grizzly. But if a grizzly starts to gnaw on your leg, fight back like your life hangs in the balance–it probably does.

109 YOUR CELL PHONEDanger Stupidly walking into a dangerous scenario, assuming that your technology will always get you out safelyBody count Good news: Cell phones and GPS are more likely to save you than doom you. Most Backpacker editors carry both because they know the devices boost safety–if used correctly. Bad news: Technology can also breed a dangerously false sense of security. Anecdotal evidence from SAR professionals nationwide suggests over-reliance on electronics is getting more novice hikers into trouble–with potentially disatrous results.Best defense Digital devices are only as smart as their users. Bring yours, but don’t forget that basic safety gear (including a map/compass for backup navigation), wilderness training, alertness, and common sense are your first lines of defense.

99 BRAIN-SUCKING AMOEBASDanger Invisible Naegleria fowleri, a freshwater nasty that crawls up the nostrils of unsuspecting swimmers, then eats its way through their brains and spinal cords. Though rare, death is swift–usually following within a week.Body count N. fowleri have killed 23 people since 1995, including a teenage boy who died last September after a swim in Arizona’s Lake Havasu. Hot springs and warm-water lakes and rivers in the South and Southwest are the amoeba’s favorite slurping grounds; risk of infection peaks during heat waves, when the water is hotter and lower than usual.Best defense Nose clips

92 ALLIGATORSDanger A cold-blooded predator that grasps you in powerful jaws (capable of closing with a force of 3,000 psi) before executing the well-named death roll" to break bones, shred tissue, and drown youBody count Gators are responsible for more than 20 deaths since 1948 (most of them in Florida) and have bitten more than 375 people. Most victims were attacked on golf courses and residential canals, but canoeists and snorkelers in national forests and state parks have also been killed. Odds are low, but the mere thought of being attacked by a primordial 10-foot reptile will keep us up at night in the Everglades.Best defense First and foremost: Don’t join the 17 percent of victims who try to capture, poke, or harass a gator.

89 GLASTENBURY MOUNTAIN Danger Vanishing without a traceBody count Native American legend held that this Vermont peak was cursed, but it took five people disappearing under mysterious circumstances between 1945 and 1950 on or near the Green Mountain summit–part of the Appalachian and Long Trails–to enhance the area’s reputation as a suspected paranormal hotspot (the Bennington Triangle) or home to a fearsome, Bigfoot-type beast. Only one of the victims’ bodies was recovered, and all the cases remain unsolved.Best defense Hike with a buddy, and avoid Glastenbury during the full moon and on Halloween (just in case).

89 ANIMAL COLLISIONS Danger Being impaled on an 800-pound elk’s aspen-sharpened antlers after it smashes through your windshield on your way to the trailheadBody count 1,646 people died in animal-vehicle contests in the U.S. between 1995 and 2004–mostly after crashing into deer–and accidents have increased along with rising ungulate populations. Especially beware the deadly moose. Hitting one of these 1,000-pound beasts is 30 times more likely to kill you than hitting a deer.Best defense Be alert for moose on the roadside, especially on summer evenings: 75 percent of moose collisions occur at night, and fatalities peak in June. But don’t let your guard down come September: Deer-car crashes are at their highest in the fall.

81 OTHER PEOPLEDanger Guns, knives, blunt objects–or being pushed off a cliff, as happened twice in national parks in 2006Body count National parks average 12 murders per year; the overall frequency of violent crime in national parks is one attack per one million visitors (remarkably low compared to the 2006 national average of 473 violent crimes per 100,000 people). And not all shootings are intentional: A hunter mistakenly shot an AT hiker in northern Georgia in 2002. Best defense Hike away from suspicious people at shelters and near road crossings, where most trouble occurs. Wear bright orange clothing during hunting season. Stay calm if threatened on the trail; give up your wallet if the stranger has a weapon, but fight back if attacked.

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